The Escape
by poetic heart 75
Summary: Picks up where What Makes Us Stronger left off. The girls have a choice to make. How will Damon react?
1. Chapter 1

The Escape

The next morning, Elizabeth found herself sitting on Jessica's porch. She looked at the shiny black Impala sitting in the drive way. For someone who never grew up with her brother, she sure the hell had his taste in cars. How did she expect to do anything discreetly in that huge boat? The sound of the engine warming up was enough to rattle the ground around it. You heard Jessica before you saw her. Just what they needed. A target drawn on top of them saying "here we are". That wasn't any safer then staying home and risking Gran getting caught up in the crap storm that was inevitably going to rain down.

She drank her coffee and enjoyed sitting with the sun on her skin. It felt nice and warm. Jessica would be up and about soon. She wondered if she even remembered making the plan last night to take off. It didn't matter because soon the quiet was broken by the rattling of pots and pans in the kitchen. Jessica was making breakfast.

Elizabeth got up and walked into the kitchen.

Elizabeth: "Need an extra pair of hands?"

Jessica: "Nah, I got this. You're a guest in my home, remember?"

Elizbeth: "A guest you've known for damn near 20 years."

Jessica: "House rules. Your my guest. I cook for you. That means, you clean up when I'm finished."

Elizabeth: "Remember that when I cook for you at my house."

Jessica: "I always help with the clean up and if you need anything from the store. That's just as much a part of the cooking as the actual prep work."

Elizabeth: "It's weird being her without Damon and Stefan around."

Jessica: "Shhh, I don't want you to spoil the quiet. It's such a beautiful day. No gooping it up with vampire drama. It's not allowed."

She shakes a spatchala threateningly at Elizabeth as her phone rings.

Elizabeth: "It's Eddie. Gran's care taker."

She answers the phone as Jessica goes back to cooking.

Elizabeth: "Hey Eddie. How's Gran doing?...That's good...yeah. I thought I left you the number... I'm eating at the moment...Sure no problem...You too...bye."

She hangs up the phone.

Jessica: "What's up?"

Elizabeth: "Edddie called in Gran's meds and wanted me to pick them up after I'm done eating with you."

Jessica: "Sounds like a plan to me."

She serves the pancakes, eggs and bacon. She gets the toast, jam and butter and refreshes her coffee. Then she gets her own plate and cup. She sighs comfortable in her own kitchen.

Jessica: "Now this is what living feels like. I don't know what you call that freakshow at the Salvatore house. There's no cooking or coffee or eating for that matter. Just a bunch of non stop drama and pouting over who didn't tell who what. Did they forget that humans need time off from all the shit once in a while?"

Elizabeth: "Yeah. It kinda went out the window when the humanity left."

Jessica: "They try so hard to be like us and Damon was doing so good at it. If I knew where this Elena girl was I'd go kick her ass."

Elizabeth: "You can't run around kicking everyone's ass who starts up some drama. You'd have a very busy schedule."

Jessica: "Not to mention I'd have to stake your boyfriend and his super hot brother."

Elizabeth about chokes on her pancakes and Jessica gives her a matter of fact look like "What did I say?"

Elizabeth: "You just admitted you think Stefan is hot."

Jessica: "He is. He can't help it if he's dead. I can forgive his being a vampire as long as it doesn't effect my life. Oh wait, it already has effected my life. I almost forgot about the exploding pile of bits I had to clean off my ceiling and other various parts of my upstairs."

Elizabeth: "Thanks for the breakfast conversation. Nothing says "I'm hungry" like talking about exploding vampire bits."

She rolls her eyes and Jessica starts laughing.

Jessica: "You know, you were right. Running away last night wouldn't solve anything. Besides, I can't live on the road with you. You're too squeemish."

Elizabeth: "Squeemish? I'm dating a vampire. Nothing gets me squeemish anymore. I just perfer not to discuss exploding vampires while I'm eating."

Jessica: "Exactly my point. I couldn't live on the road with you. I'm free with what I say and bring up at the dinner table."

Elizabeth: "I don't know how you expect to fade off quietly with that loud ass car of yours. I mean, really? It damn near has a target painted on the top of it."

Jessica: "Hey. Don't hate on Dean's car. That car is a hot piece of history right there. It's seen more action then either one of us will ever dare to remember. It's been through hell and back and it still is in mint condition. The only thing that has changed are the tires and the parts inside of it. Dean would kill me if I didn't take care of that car."

Elizabeth: "And why did Dean leave you his car anyway? That thing is like a third leg for him. He can't sever himself away from Baby like that."

Jessica: "Well, he had to. See, things got a little hairy out there and anything that identifies Sam and Dean had to go. He said it's harder for them to use their aliases. Bobby got attacked and there's always something or someone out there watching their every move. He has to be super careful these days. He loves Baby, but he had to leave her in my care until it's safe to take her out again. She misses him too. I don't take her on half the adventures Sam and Dean have."

Elizabeth: "You do realize that's a car out there, right? It's not a human. It doesn't have any kind of attachment to anything."

Jessica: "She may not be human, but she has a heart and feelings. It killed Dean to leave that car here. Hell, it killed him to put it away when he was with Lisa for 5 minutes."

Elizabeth: "Well, if you need a few minutes to go out there and console the car, let me know. I'll be cleaning up the kitchen."

Jessica smacks Elizabeth on the ass as she bends to clear the table.

Elizabeth: "Excuse me, I am not your man."

Jessica: "No, but your my bitch. That's different."

Elizabeth: "I'm your sister. Let's leave it at that."

Elizabeth is washing up dishes when there is a knock on the back door.

Jessica: "Come on in."

Damon walks in.

Damon: "Do you ever check to see who it is before you invite them in?"

Jessica: "Yeah and I knew it was you. I recognized you lurking around the outside of the house before you knocked."

Damon: "That is one hot car you've got out there."

Jessica: "Thank you. It was handed down to me from my brother. I'm watching it for him."

Damon: "Your watching his car."

Jessica: "Yeah. It's a Winchester thing. You wouldn't understand."

Damon: "Try me."

Elizabeth: "Let's just say her brother has a very intimate relationship with that car. It's like another family member."

Damon: "Well, if it's like a family member, why did he abandon it at Cousin Jessie's house?"

Jessica: "Because I can take good care of her and he trusts me. Sam and Dean aren't exactly a public thing these days."

Damon: "A public thing? Do I even want to know what that statement means?"

Elizabeth: "It means they're undercover and they can't have anything that identifies them as themselves and that car is a huge screaming red flag."

Damon: "Ok. Hunters go into graveyards and old abandon houses when they hunt down things that go bump in the night, am I right?"

Jessica: "Yeah. We go where ever the job calls us to."

Damon: "And hunters have to keep a low profile so they don't draw attention to themselves, right?"

Jessica: "That's the idea. Yeah, but we don't always succeed at not drawing attention. Especially in small towns. People tend to notice the new guy or girl in town."

Damon: "So, why would a couple of hunters drive an old Impala? That thing is huge for one thing and for another, they're not exactly conspicuous. The first thing you'd notice is a loud ass car driving into your town."

Jessica: "I don't know. You'd have to ask John that question and he's been dead for many years. Dean inherited the car from him. I have a sneaking suspicion I know why John chose that particular car."

Damon: "Why? So he could be the talk of the town in his profession?"

Jessica: "It has a huge trunk and the job takes you all over the country. Some times you need a place to sleep and that car has a huge backseat. Lots of space in it. You could easily live in that car. Don't ask me how he affords gas in it though. Money isn't exactly something that grows on trees when you travel all over like that."

Elizabeth: "I often wondered that myself. That big ass boat takes a lot of gas and they aren't exactly just going from the corner store to home. There are stretches on end without any kind of gas stations anywhere to be found."

Jessica: "You do what you have to do. Same with the money. You have to get creative with things. Make them work."

Elizabeth: "I couldn't live like that."

Jessica: "Yet, one more reason why I could never take you on the road with me. You're not a hustler."

Elizabeth: "That much is true."

Damon: "Why would you want to go on the road with her anyway? You're not trained in supernatural hunting."

Elizabeth: "You don't have to be trained to hunt. It just sort of becomes an instinct."

Damon: "But, your not trained to follow those instincts."

Elizabeth: "I have instincts. I know when something is not right and I can feel when things are off around me. It's just a matter of tuning in to those feelings and figuring out what's setting them off. Once you find the source, you can find the solution. Besides, now that I have this psycic thing working for me, it's easy to sniff them out."

Damon: "Yeah, but that can also be seen as something to prey on in that field of work. It's a gateway in for anything that is bad."

Jessica: "Free will, my friend. Humans have free will. As long as you can excersize your free will you have no problems with any thing getting away from you. Besides, it's not like we walk around with a welcome sign for things to like hitch hike."

Damon: "True. You make a good point. Are my two allies thinking of leaving me and joining the Winchester road show?"

Elizabeth: "Nah. We aren't going anywhere. At least I'm not. I have responsibilities here."

Jessica: "You're never going to leave this town. We've established that. But, I never said I would never leave this town and my other job takes me away from here. It's inevitable that I leave and go off somewhere. Let's face it, you'd never miss me."

Damon smiles his sinister smile.

Elizabeth: "Dude, he's a vampire. He can't be friends with a damn hunter anymore then you can be friends or lovers with a vampire."

Jessica: "Yes. He is a vampire and no, he probably couldn't be friends with me. I'm not looking for vampire allies any more then he's looking for some hunter allie. What's the point to this conversation anyway?"

Elizabeth: "Yeah. I am curious why you came all the way over here. I'm sure it wasn't for the charming company."

Damon: "Oh, I just heard it on the line that you two were going to slip off into the setting sun and never look back at this town again."

Jessica: "Translation. You were evesdropping and you got an ear full of me saying I wanted out of here before the proverbial shit hit the fan. Well, you heard right. I do want to get out of here and you hear right, I don't think this war is going to bode well for any of us, least of all Elizabeth and her conflicted interests. Yeah, I was a little drunk last night, but a few of the points I made were totally valid."

Damon: "Who said there was going to be a war of any kind?"

Jessica: "Save the whole acting stupid thing. I know how these things work. First, there's a few vampires exploding in my house. Then, there's a few dead humans here and there and all the spooky scarey stuff leads up into a full blown war because the good guys and the bad guys can't agree to just live together."

Damon: "That would be a boring existance and it would give you nothing to do as a profession. Why would you want everyone to just deal with each other?"

Jessica: "It's what we do. We deal with each other's existance. We agree to disagree on certain subjects. We don't go around attacking each other because our view points are different. It's not how the free world works."

Elizabeth: "Why do you want there to be chaos and mayhem all over? Weren't you the one talking about how you were trying to advocate peace on all of our behalf when you went to Eric in the first place? Weren't you the one who said that dead girl wasn't something to throw in their face? Weren't you the one sitting there proclaiming to no end that that woman wanted to die and she gave herself freely to you when you drained her? I mean, it looked and talked just like you. Oh yeah, you were wearing the evidence all over you face when you came home. You had to say something."

Damon: "Whoa, what's with the hostility? I didn't come over here to start a fight. I was checking on your well being after those crazy ass vampires attacked you on the way to the bar. I wanted to make sure they didn't come back for round 2 since you like to block me out of your head when you fight."

Elizabeth: "And there it is. The real reason for the visit. No Damon, they never came back for round 2 as you put it. No, I never blocked you out of my head. That bothers you that I can do that. It also bothers you that I can fend for myself and I don't need you to be my savior. It hurts your pride as a male vampire."

Damon: "My male pride as a vampire is just fine, thanks for asking. I was scared when I couldn't find you. It scared me that I couldn't feel you. It scared me that you might need me and I couldn't help. That's all that was about. Yeah, I tried to advocate peace even though every single once of my being as a vampire was screaming at me to rip off Eric's head and spit down his neck. Yeah. That woman was willing and she did give herself to me. She wanted me to drain her. I know that's hard for anyone to believe, but she wanted it. If it wasn't me, it would've been some other half cocked vampire at the bar who would've left her out there and it would've came back on us. I would've stopped that vampire from coming inside Jessica's house, but I assumed that Stefan had it covered and I had my own vampires I was fending off. So, don't sit over there and presume to know me and what I am about. I've suffered loss and I've been hurt too. There's a reason why I have to defend myself."

Elizabeth: "With Katherine. That was over 145 years ago. She obviously didn't love you as much as you loved her. If she did, she would've went looking for you and came back for you. Be thankful that the bitch is out of your life. She's not worth it. She's not worth another minute of your time. Move on from that. Mystic Falls was obviously a nice place to live once. Something made you want to go back there after you left all those years ago. So, there was some sort of light at the end of the tunnel."

Damon: "There was no light at the end of the tunnel, Liz. Kathrine rejected me. I asked her point blank to her face if she ever compelled me and she said she never loved me. She always loved my brother. So, yeah. That stung a bit, but I got over it. I moved on with my life and I left Mystic Falls in my rear view mirror. What made me go back was Stefan and I heard that Kathrine was buried there in a tomb and alive. The idea of Kathrine being buried alive and suffering made me feel good because she'd been torturing me for 145 years. Then Stefan goes and hooks up with her freaken twin sister."

Elizabeth: "Elena is Katherine's twin sister?"

Damon: "She's what they called a doplganger. She's a dead ringer for Katherine and that's what started that whole fire and the war and crap that we left behind in Mystic Falls. I don't want to see that happen here anymore then Stefan does."

Jessica: "OK. Let's get back to the whole you had your own vampires you were fending off statement. You were attacked at the same time as Stefan and I were at my house."

Damon: "Yeah. They were after Elizabeth. They wanted her. I wasn't going to let them get her. So they were attacking every possible place where Elizabeth could go to flush her out. The only reason your Gran is even still in the picture is because I defended her. I made sure she was taken care of and that those Hill Billy bastards were killed. Then I erased her memory. I'm pretty sure you don't want your Gran waking up with night mares of nasty vampires attacking."

Elizabeth: "Oh my God. Why didn't you tell me that was going on?"

Damon: "Ummm, fighting a war? That might have a little to do with why the details slipped my mind the next day at breakfast."

Jessica: "Wow. Just when I thought this situation couldn't get anymore fucked up."

Damon: "Yeah. I'd say that's an understatement. See, I happen to know just how tight you all are and I happen to know you all value family. You didn't even have to ask me to go help Gran. I did it because I love you and I know what it's like to lose your family and be left alone."

Elizabeth: "Well, yeah. We are all a family. Jessica may not be blood, but she's the closest damn thing I'll ever have to a sister."

Jessica: "And Gran is the closest thing I'll ever have to a living relative other then the parents that raised me. My actual birth mother is still alive, but I stopped talking to her years ago."


	2. Chapter 2

Elizabeth: "Speaking of families, I'd better get Gran's meds to her. You two are welcome to come with me."

Jessica: "Sure. Let me get my keys and my purse."

Damon: "Are you sure you want to take me home to meet Gran officially?"

Elizabeth: "Why not? You are my man. She's going to have to meet my boyfriend eventually. Especially if you did your magic on her. She has no clue who you are."

Damon: "It's not magic. It's called compelling and it's a handy thing to be able to do when you don't want anyone else remembering you or the situation they were just in."

Elizabeth: "Yes. I know what compelling is. You need to losen up and get a sense of humor. This whole taking everything so serious thing is not in your personality."

Jessica comes back into the room with her keys and purse.

Jessica: "Let's get out of here."

Elizabeth: "Are you sure you want to put a vampire in the backseat of Baby? She might flip out."

Jessica: "Ha, ha. You're real funny. I've had you driving around in her and your half vampire. What's the difference?"

Elizabeth: "I don't know. It's Dean's car. You know how he is."

Jessica: "Yeah. He's very black and white. You're either good or your evil. You can't have a middle line like Stefan and Damon have. You couldn't possibly be a vampire who lives off blood and not kill humans. That's the only source of warm blood on the planet as far as he is concerned. You couldn't possibly think humanity was worth saving and be a vampire. It's not in your nature to do it at any time."

Damon: "That much is true. It's not in a vampire's nature to save humanity. It's in a vampire's nature to save themselves and defend themselves. We fight to survive. I fight to keep my secret unknown to the rest of the world. I don't see where humans need to even know that we exist in the first place. It's safer that way."


	3. Chapter 3

Elizabeth: "I know I was better off before I knew this whole world of vampires, Warewolves, demons and spirits existed. I always thought the only place a spirit could live was in a cemetary. Apparently, I was misled. Your preaching to the choir on that one."

Jessica: "Spirits can live anywhere. There's a difference between a spirit and a ghost. A spirit is energy. A ghost is an actual manifestation. Like, when someone dies, their spirit can be still in a place, but it's not necessarily a ghost. It's just energy left behind from them living. But, you can argue that ghosts are also energy because they give off a reading as well. It's also argued that spirit is more of a religious term. So, that all depends on who you talk to about what."

Damon: "And yet, you chose to get close to me even after you found out what I was and who I was."

Elizabeth: "I believe people deserve a fair chance and you hadn't shown me any reason why I shouldn't give you a fair chance. I shouldn't judge you based on your past behavior. What I judge you on is your present behavior. Your present behavior has shown me that you are a good person with good intentions, but bad follows you and your brother around like a dark rain cloud. So, when ever someone gets close to either one of you, it rains on them and they have to go run for cover. I grabbed my umbrella and hoped the storm would pass."

Damon: "My point is you don't care if I'm dangerous. You love me anyway."

Elizabeth: "That I do and I am greatful that you helped me find out what happened to my mother. I needed that part of my history filled in."

Jessica: "Trust me, if I knew that vampires were at the end of those links, I never would've sent you the sites. I just figured you'd find some long lost relatives and start a relationship with them. Not turn into some funky half human half vampire hybrid."

Elizabeth: "Look, I don't blame either one of you for this. There was no way any of you could predict this was going to turn out the way that it did. I've embraced my hybrid blood and I've learned to live with it."

Damon: "I may not have been able to predict the outcome, but I can save you from the inevitable future."

Elizabeth: "If I have to fight, I have to fight. I'm not just gonna stand back and let them take over the town. I live here too and if I can stop an all out supernatural war, then that's what I'm gonna do. I already proved I wasn't going to be intimidated when those two morons in the forest tried to mindfreak me into going with them. I'm not going to sacrafice my humaniy for the cause. Right now, I'm delivering meds to my Gran and trying to assume some normalicy in my life."

They pull up in Elizabeth's Gran's driveway and get out of the car. Gran is sitting on the front porch waiting. Her afternoon tea in her hand. She smiled when she recognized Elizabeth and Jessica approaching the porch with a very attractive young man.

Gran: "Oh, my goodness would you look here. Get over here and hug my neck."

She hugs Jessica like a long lost granddaughter she hasn't seen in 20 years and kisses her on the cheek.

Jessica: "Good afternoon. Grandma Mary."

Gran: "Oh stop. You can call me Gran. I've known you since you were 14 years old. Who is this handsome devil with you?"

She smiles a warm inviting smile and Damon smiles back.

Damon: "Hello Miss Mary. I'm Damon Salvatore."

Mary: "I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Salvatore. Would you like some iced tea? I just made a fresh pitcher."

Damon: "That would be wonderful."

Mary: "Please, have a seat on the swing. I'll be right back."

She goes to fetch the pitcher and glasses for everyone. They sit on the porch swing.

Gran: "The Gardinia's are blooming and smell just beautiful out there."

Elizabeth: "Yes they do. They look beautiful. I brought your meds from Andy."

Gran: "Oh, thank Heavens. Eddie forgot them this morning. How was your evening dear?"

Elizabeth: "It was good. I went out with Jessica and Damon to unwind a bit from work."

Mary: "Sounds like you had fun. How is work?"

Elizabeth: "Exausting as usual. Long shifts and no breaks. I'm lucky I got this week off."

Mary: "Is that where you met Mr. Salvatore? At work?"

Elizabeth: "Yeah. Damon is a surgeon at New Orleans General Hospital and Jessica and I are his nurses."

Gran: "That is so nice. Your going to make a good husband one day. Mark my words."

Damon: "I'm hoping your right. I'm not seeing that in the future any time right now. It's really busy at the hospital. I hardly have time to sleep let alone get married."

Gran: "You would never know it looking at you. I remember when I met your grandfather at the Blossom Parade. He looked so handsome on that float. I just knew he was the one I wanted to be with. All the honest men have flaws. It keeps them young."

Damon: "Oh I have a few flaws. I am a human being."

Jessica starts coughing to cover up the fact that she wants to laugh in his face. She tries to cover it up. Damon pats her on the back to help her stop coughing.

Jessica: "Sorry about that. I almost swallowed some ice there."

Damon: "Careful there, sweetheart."

Elizabeth shakes her head like "kids" and takes Damon's hand in hers.

Gran: "Oh my, this is your famous Damon you've been bragging to me about?"

Elizabeth: "The one and only."

Gran: "I must have a picture of the three of you. Let me get my camera from inside. I'll be right back."

Elizabeth: "Ok."

She goes to get her camera while the girls try to freshen up a bit.

Elizabeth: "Way to be subtle there, Jess."

Jessica: "I'm sorry. When he started professing about how human he is, I couldn't hold back the laughing and if I started laughing, that would be inappropriate and that would have to be explained. So, I faked the coughing fit instead."

Gran comes back with the camera.

Gran: "Now. Y'all pose and smile pretty for me."

They pose together and Gran takes the picture.

Gran: "You three look adorable."

She shows them the digital image on the camera.

Elizabeth: "You know, Damon's family knew mom."

Gran: "They did? What was your mother's name? I'm sure if they were close, Jean told me all about her. I may have even known your grandparents."

Damon: "Her name was Rose Salvatore and my father was Stefan Salvatore Senior. My brother has the same name."

Gran: "Oh you have a brother. Now that you mention it, those two names do sound awefully familiar. Do you have a picture of your parents?"

Damon: "As a matter of fact, I do."

He takes out his wallet and shows her a real picture of his parents together.

Gan: "Roselynn Salvatore. Yes, she was a bride's maid at Jean and Richard's wedding. She was a beautiful young girl. Her eyes were the same color as yours are and she had the darkest raven black hair."

Damon: "That's my mom, all right. Beautiful as ever."

He shows Elizabeth and Jessica the photo. You can tell it's an extreamly old photo by the way the paper is yellowing.

Jessica: "She looks gorgeous. Your dad was a good looking man too."

Damon: "Thank you."

Gran: "I never got to meet your dad or you boys. She moved away when she was pregnant with her first son."

Damon: "That would be me. Stefan is the youngest."

Gran: "You both turned out to be beautiful young men."

Damon: "Thank you."


End file.
